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Am I my brother’s keeper?

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Am I my brother's keeper?'?

Literal meaning.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Am I my brother's keeper?'?

From the Bible, Genesis IV 9 (King James Version):

And the Lord said unto Cain, where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?

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About the Author

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

Gary Martin

Writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.
Am I my brother’s keeper?

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